Trouble in Paradise
Previous Chapter - The Reluctant Hero ---- There wasn't a single cloud in the sky above Avalon one summer Wednesday. On top that it was an unusually bright and hot day, which was a direct contrast to the depressing and terrified mood that hung over most of Avalon. The only exception was a village near the middle of Avalon called Alfheim. Alfheim was quite small and not very impressive. It didn't have any tourist attractions, it didn't have many shops, and all in all it looked like a boring medieval farming town. However, Alfheim's residents consisted solely of elves and not the evil kind, but the peaceful one's. It was true that non-elves often visited, but the only people who stayed to live there were elves. It is thanks to its residents that Alfheim is able to maintain its serene atmosphere, despite how the rest of Avalon seems very depressing. The contrast between Alfheim and the rest of Avalon is so different that it seems out of place. Kind of like if a calm vacation spot like an island was surrounded by a bustling crime filled city. One such peaceful elf that was currently walking through the small streets of this serene village was Haruhi Kaneko. Haruhi loved this town for its peaceful atmosphere and small size. She was in her usual attire and had a very happy and peaceful look on her face. How could she not? Today was the first day in a very long time where she got to have a peaceful day. No fighting, no traveling, nothing. Not to mention Kaine and Icarus weren't with her to spoil it. She took a deep breath in and let it out as a very content sigh. "This is the life. To bad the rest of my life can't be like this," she said. All around her elves were speaking Elvish to each other, which not only made the town seem a bit more lively, but also made the town all the more peaceful. Haruhi explored the town for several hours all the while humming calmly to herself. Unfortunately, at the five hour mark when the clock struck 3 pm a shiver went down her spine. It was a shiver that seemed to have come from her very soul and it told her that her unrealistic fantastic day was about to come to a halt. "Why is it that I can't have a single peaceful day. That's all I want. To live a normal life, settle down, and die of old age," Haruhi muttered to herself in response to this premonition Meanwhile at a tavern close by, sounds of screaming, laughing and cheering could be heard roaring throughout the building. Inside it was a crowd of big, strong and tough looking men crowded together forming a circle around a certain table where two people were seen having a drink off. Chugging away their cups like until one of them drops. One of the contestants was a huge, muscular man, bigger then any of the other rough and tough men that surrounded him. He just about finished slurping down his current cup. "Gulp, gahhhh. What der still at it? Just give up already ders no way you have a chance of beaten me." The man said full drunk. He set his cup down along with his other set of ten completed cups. Across from him was his competitor, a young, puny girl with long dark blue hair wearing ragged clothes on. The girl was about 3 times shorter then then man she was competing against. She was finishing up her current cup as well following after the big guy. "Gulp gulp gulp! Aaaah! Filler up boys! Another round over here! Don't stop now I'm just getting started!" The girl shouted cheerfully. She appeared to be completely sober, not even showing a hint of wooziness or any sign of being a little drunk. She tossed the cup she had aside and landed on a pile of about fifty completed cups. The men in the bar all laughed at the enormous gap between the two but the big guy she's competing against was to drunk to tell. "I don't know where she puts it but this girls got him beat!" One of the men shouted, laughing as he spoke. "Theres no doubt who's winning this one." Another man said who just stood there smiling and chuckling. As everyone spoke around her, the young girl joyfully drank away on her next when all of a sudden she stopped over a feeling she had. "Hm?" She was detecting a near by magic power. That very second after the clock on the taverns wall rang a loud bell tolling the Three O-clock hour. The loud bell could barely be heard over the roaring crowd but Elssa was able to hear it. Right then she had a strange feeling that her day was just about to get even brighter then it already was and that a thrill of adventure was on the horizon. The young girl looked over out the window she could barely see through the crowd group of men. Within that glimmer of view she had she could see a glimpse of Haruhi walking by outside. The girls eye widens. Just then Haruhi hears a loud sound coming from a certain direction nearby. "HAAAAAAARUUUUUUUUUHIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" Right when she notices something busts through the walls of the tavern leaving a giant whole in the wall followed by a whole group of men that were crowding the table raining down. The young girl is then seen sprinting towards Haruhi creating a trail of dust cloud after her and frantically waving her arms up and down. "HARUHI ITS YOU!" Said cried out ash she ran towards her. She ran up to her and attempted give Haruhi a tight hug, squishing her face against her breasts. "Haruhi its really you! I can't believe your here! i missed you so much! its so good to see you again!" She cried out in joy just before she went in for a hug At that moment something shiny appeared in Haruhi's lower peripheral vision. When Haruhi looked down to take a better look at it she found out that much to her surprise it was a coin. She knelt down to pick it up just in time to dodge the hug and accidentally cause her old friend to trip over her and fall flat on her face. Haruhi stood back up once she picked up the coin that is when she noticed the girl who tried to hug her. It took a few short seconds to recognize her and when she did Haruhi asked, “Elssa? Is that you? I barely recognized you what are you doing here and why are you laying on the ground?” Elssa, with her face planted to the ground, moved her head up with a grumpy look on her face and spit out some dirt that she caught her in mouth. "Felt like it." She replied in annoyance. She quickly rose up on her feet with another smile of excitement on her face. "But i can't believe your here! Its so good to see you again!" She cried out happily.